Aspects of Professional and Academic Language

ASPECTS OF
PROFESSIONAL AND
ACADEMIC LANGUAGE
 Academic writing requires sophistication
in terms of language use and structure.
Considering that our tasks as students is
to complete assignments, answer exams,
and write reports, there is an expected
quality in our language use and
structuring of texts.
 With regard to language use, there are three
important features we need to incorporate
when we prepare outputs:
› Formality
› Objectivity
› Explicitness
› Caution, and
› Structure
 Formality
› reflects our dignified stance in our writing
as members of the academic community.
This means that since our audience are
fellow members of the academic
community, the language used requires
precision to make it a “legitimate” piece of
academic writing.
 Formality can be achieved through:
1. Choosing expanded modal forms over
contracted forms (cannot instead of can’t, do not
instead of don’t)
2. Choosing one verb forms over two-word verbs
(damage instead of mess up)
3. Choosing expanded terms over its abbreviated
equivalents (as soon as possible instead of
ASAP)
4. Avoiding colloquial/trite/idiomatic expressions
(kind of like, As a matter of fact, I need to go to
the John)
 Objectivity can be achieved by:
› Avoiding the use of personal pronouns such
You, I, and We since these pronouns mark
closeness with the readers.
Example:
Subjective construction:
You need to conduct the experiment.
› Avoiding rhetorical questions in academic
writing also marks closeness with your
reader as rhetorical questions constantly
seek the attention of readers.
 Poor Example:
 How can these problems be solved?
 Improved Version:
 Certain measures must be discovered to
solve the problems.
 Avoiding emotive language that shows biases
also lessens objectivity.
› Poor Example:
 The investigators were very shocked to
see the outcome of the tests.
› Improved Versions:
 The investigators did not expect the
results would be different.
 Explicitness
› Academic writing demands use of
appropriate signposting strategies which
allow your readers to trace the relationship
of the various parts found in your study.
› So, if you intend to show that there will be
a change in your line of argument, then
make it clear by using however:
› It is apparent that the government hopes to
provide assistance to the poor. However,
making dole outs available to the “poorest
of the poor” seems to work not in the long
term.
 If a sentence leads to providing a reason in
another sentence, make it explicit by using an
appropriate phrase like:
› While several cabinet members had
proposed measures to counter the
increasing power rates proposed by
MERALCO, it was not until the expose of
Garcia that the breakdown of power charges
on consumers was fully explained. Partly
this was because even retirement benefits of
MERALCO employees are being charged
on all power users.
 Other useful phrases would be:
1. This is due to the...
A number of MERALCO consumers trooped
to the city hall to claim the Php500.00 cash
incentive. This is due to the Supreme Court
ruling that overcharges must be returned to
the end users whose electric consumption for
April-May period was below 100 kw/hr.
2. This resulted in...
With the Supreme Court ordering
MERALCO to return overcharges to the end
users, government offices have been tapped
to operate as claim centers. This resulted in a
number of MERALCO consumers trooping
to the city hall to claim the Php500.00 cash
incentive.
 When two ideas appear rather than the same,
express them clearly.
› The study showed that 80 percent of the
200 participants involved in the study were
dissatisfied with the operations of
MERALCO. Similarly, the data arrived at
revealed that majority of the participants
were not aware of the charges imposed on
them by MERALCO.
 If you intend your sentence to give extra
information, make it clear.
› MERALCO has been operating as a
business conglomerate involving foreign
stakeholders and independent power
products or IPP. In addition, MERALCO
owns major IPPs operating in the region.
 If you are giving examples, do it explicitly.
› The MERALCO issue has led to disputes
between opposition and administration
senators. For example, those who have been
labeled as working against the president
consider the issue as the administration’s
way of avoiding the NBN-ZTE scandal.
 Based on the examples given, write a sentence
for each of the following expressions that
would make your idea explicit.
1. However
2. This is due to the...
3. Similarly
4. In addition
5. For example
 Caution
› Academic writing requires tact since we
often deal with knowledge that is built from
established theories and concepts.
Therefore, caution entails the need to avoid
making sweeping generalizations.
› Consider the following example:
 Government officials are corrupt.
› The statement can be improved through the
use of hedging devices such as modal verbs,
adverbs, or verbs.
› Improved Versions:
 Some government officials may be corrupt.
 Corruption is commonly linked to some key
government officials.
 A number of government officials tend to be
linked with cases of corruption.
 In academic writing, caution needs to be
observed in the following parts of your paper.
1. When a hypothesis needs to be tested.
2. Drawing conclusions or predictions from
your findings which may generalize certain
groups or may not be too conclusive.
3. Referencing others’ work to build on your
paper.
 Below are some forms that you may use in
observing caution in writing:
› Verbs indicating caution:
 Tends, suggests, appear to be, think,
believe, doubt, indicate
 Modal verbs: will, must, would, may, can,
might, could
 Adverbs of frequency: often, sometimes,
usually
 Modifiers: quite, rather, fairly
Examine the following expressions and think of way
on how to reduce the impact of the utterances.
Direct Expression Statement using hedging
He has halitosis.
You need to eat this so you will

get healthy.
The different action undertaken

led to their failure.
 Structure
› Aside from language, sentences need to be
constructed in such a way that it shows a
certain level of complexity which reflects the
sophistication of an academic writer.
› Combining ideas effectively, nominalization
and passivization are some ways on how to
achieve structure fit for academic writing.
 In combining ideas effectively, you will need
to consider avoiding redundancy and at the
same time, making sure that ideas are packed
manageable in a sentence.
› Consider the following examples:
 The earthquake caused a lot of loss of life.
 The earthquake caused massive property
damage.
 The earthquake changed the landscape of the
place.
 Hence, it can be written this way:
› The earthquake was a disaster that had
caused loss of life, property damage,
and permanent changes in the
landscape.
 In nominalization, the verbs of sentences are
central as they denote action. Therefore,
transforming verbs into nouns will help
readers focus on the action undertaken and
not the doer of the action.
› Example:
 The company created a software to manage
the transactions was a success.
 The creation of a software to manage
transactions was a success. (nominalized
version)
 In passive construction, the results of actions are
highlighted. In academic writing since the writer
of the paper is presumed to have done the
collection and analysis of data, it is understood
that all results of the action are a product of the
writer’s work.
› Example:
 The researcher conducted experiments to
validate the hypothesis.
 Experiments were conducted by the
researcher to validate the hypothesis.
 Restructure the sentences using nominalization.
1. The project was implemented to make sure that
services are not delayed.
2. The investigators established a time to determine the
chain of events relating to the crime.
3. The committee imposed a 7-day deadline for the
members to submit their requirements.
4. The artists created a beautifull mural to pay tribute to
the survivors of the disaster.
5. A number of students reported several cases of theft
within the area.
 Restructure the sentences using passivization.
1. The children gave several inputs to improve the
operations of the facility.
2. Nurses conducted workshops for those in far-flung areas
on health and sanction.
3. The company acquired a number of contractors to render
service to its consumers.
4. Marketers need to make a quota every month to maintain
sustainable growth.
5. Guitar players constantly practice to ensure fault free
performance.
 Answers for nominalization
1. The implementation of the project was done to
make sure services are not delayed.
2. The establishment of time was done to help
investigators determine the chain of events relating
to the crime.
3. The imposition of a seven-day deadline by the
commitee was done for members to submit their
requirements.
4. The creation of a beautiful mural was done to pay
tribute to the survivors of the disaster.
5. Reporting of theft cases within the area was done
by a number of students.
 Answers for passivization:
1. Several inputs were given by the children to improve
the operation of the facility.
2. Workshops on health and sanitation were conducted
by nurses for those in far-flung areas.
3. A number of contractors were acquired by the
company to render service to its customers.
4. A quota needs to be made by maketers to maintain
sustainable growth.
5. Constant practice needs to be done by guitar players
to ensure fault-free performance.

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ASPECTS OF

You need to eat this so you will

The different action undertaken

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